User Reviews

Huddersfield Railway Station was designed by the famous architect J.P.Pritchard & is now a Grade 1 listed building. Built 1846-50 & described by the Poet Laureate Sir John Betjeman as "the most splendid station facade in England", it certainly is the finest outside of London. Built during the heyday of Steam Travel, it now forms part of the popular Trans-Pennine route, but more importantly it benefits from not One, but Two, in-situ Station Bars, which is pretty unique.

The second of these is the Head of Steam, which is actually part of a small chain of new Station Bars. I finished here after a trip to Huddersfield during my 03 Easter trip to the UK. Located at the West end of the Station Building (closest to the Tunnel side), the Head of Steam is entered from the Platform concourse.

Much larger than the Train Station Tavern, the HoS comprises 4 distinctly separate rooms, each with its own character  one of which is Non-Smoking, which is always well frequented.

It has 7 Handpumps which serve a very good selection of Cask beers from a range of Regular Beers & Regular Guests, always including a Mild  see Website for Updates & current lists. It also hosts frequent Cask Beer Festivals, drop on one of these & you are in for a treat selection wise. If not, you will at least have the chance to drink a beer from many of the UKs finest Independents.

Shit-Loads of Railway memorabilia. Train-Spotters of all ages love this place. Colorful Old Posters from the pre-nationalized BR days of UK Steam Railways, Number & Nameplates abound; Old Signs, Tickets & Timetables galore. It even has a fully working Model Steam Train!

The Huddersfield HoS certainly has a formulæ feel about it, but it is by far the best of the HoS Bars that I have been in, if just for the consistent quality of the Cask Ale alone (a bitch I have with some other HoS Bars). However, whilst the quality is good, like other HoSs, the prices are not - a little on the top side for my liking, not a place for a session if you have shallow pockets.

Serves excellent food from opening until late at night, & it has a civilized license for 2am Fridays & Saturdays, which is great.

Unlike the Train Station Tavern, you can actually sit outside on the Platform in a small fenced area & do some Train-Spotting if you fancy  quite cool, but a bit smelly at times, the Diesel fumes are not to everyones taste, damn I wish I was born earlier & couldve witnessed the Steam Engines here.